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COSTA RICA - Sunday 19 December 2004
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Former Presidents
on Visiting Day at La Reforma
Prison
The La Reforma prison in
Alajuela was the site of much
activity yesterday as former
presidents Miguel Angel
Rodríguez and Rafael Angel
Calderón both received visits.
Normally, visiting day in Costa
Rica's prisons and detention
centres is Sunday, however, the
special situation regarding
security of the former
presidents, La Reforma prison
officials decoded to give the
two men visiting day on
Saturdays instead of Sunday with
the rest of the prison
population.
It was a special day for
Rodríguez as he received a visit
from his wife. Lorena Clare
Facio, for the first since his
detention on October 15 and his
jailing a couple of weeks later.
Doña Lorena had remained in the
U.S. at the urging of her
husband, fearing that his wife
would become involved in "media
circus" as he calls it,
surrounding his detention. She
arrived in Costa Rica Friday
night.
Calderón also received visits
from his family (his wife,
daughter and granddaughter - the
three Glorias) only a few days
before he is to be released from
the penal institution. A court
overturned the original
detention order and Calderón
could be a free man - though not
exonerated from the allegations
against him - come this
Wednesday, 22 December.
For his part Rodríguez received
visits also from his daughter,
Ana Elena and his brother priest
Alvaro Rodríguez who lives in
Rome, travelling to Costa Rica
to visit his brother.
The prison was also full of
music and joy as the "garibaldi"
mariachis made their annual
appearance to spread holiday
sentiments to the all the
inmates.
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In the
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The "El Gordo" Tonight
Bought your lottery ticket? No?
You still have a chance at the
"El Gordo".
But, don't wait too long, as the
hour has been set for 7pm
tonight, when the downtown
square - La Plaza de la Cultura
- will see the drawing for the
grand prize of ¢1.750.000.000
colones (us$3.83 million
dollars).
Each year the Junta de
Protección Social de San José
(JPS) has the big prize lottery
that, this year, will see some
¢5.700.000.000 colones (us$12.5
million dollars) distributed
among all the winners.
The annual event takes place
live in front of those gathered
in the square and television
viewers to see their lives
changed with the drop of the
balls.
The winning number is made up of
three numbers and a series.
Those who have visited Costa
Rica will no doubt have seen the
numerous lottery ticket vendors
shout out a number as you walk
by. They are referring to the
series, which many people buy
based on a dream, a hunch or
just at random.
The JPS says that is sold out
it's lot of lottery tickets on
Wednesday. The JPS sells to the
vendors who in turn sell to
lottery buyers, who still have
tickets for tonight's draw.
The tickets are sold in one "entero"
or in fractions of 20. Buyers
can make the total investment in
an entire number and series or
just buy a piece of the action.
The payout is based on the
number of actions a holder has.
However, each year there are
complaints of fraud, overpricing
and withholding. This year was
no different, when the JPS
received 148 formal complaints
against vendors - 36 were for
conditioning the sale of the
tickets - some vendors will only
sell you a specific number only
if you buy a complete series
and/or another number as well,
increasing their sales. The
other 109 complaints were for
overpricing and monopolizing.
Vendors will raise the price on
specific numbers, a price higher
than the face value of the
ticket as established by the JPS
or refusing to sell a specific
number when it was in their
possession.
According to lottery ticket
vendors, 19, 33 and 13 are most
sought our series numbers.
Good luck tonight!
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Today's Stories:
 Former
Presidents on Visiting Day at La
Reforma Prison
The
"El Gordo" Tonight
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What's Open During the Holidays?
The
holiday season is upon us, with
most government offices closing
their doors until January, while
others staying open for most of
the coming week and then closed
well into the second week of
January.
Many businesses are either
closing or on limited hours this
week. It is best advised to call
ahead before making a visit.
Banks and financial institutions
have announced their hours as
well.
The telephone company as well as
other utilities will close their
officers on the December 25, 26,
and 31 and then January 1 and 2,
back to work on full schedule on
January 3
Retailers are perhaps the only
operators who will work right
through the holidays. Many will
be also be open Christmas and
New Year's day.
Banks have varying hours. State
banks (Banco de Costa Rica (BCR),
Banco Nacional (BN) and Banco
Polular, will be closed on the
December 25, 26 and 31 and then
January 1 and 2. Private Banks
like Banco Interfin and
Scotiabank will be closed
December 25, 26 and the 29, 30,
31 and January 1 and 2.
Embassies will also be on
holiday schedule. The U.s. and
Canadian embassies will be
closed on Decemebr 24, 25 and 26
and then on limited hours on
December 27, 28 and 29. Most
embassies will then be closed
between December 30 and January
2.
Emergency services will be open
during the holiday season.
Following are important
telephone numbers:
Emergencies:
911
Red Cross: 128
Firemen: 118
Transit Police:
222-9330
Insidecostarica.com
will also be closed for the
holiday season from December 21
to January 4. Our last regular
publication for the year 2004
will Sunday 19 December. We will
publish a special edition on
Thursday December 30. We wish
you all a happy holiday season,
wherever you may be.
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